I thought this subject was worth a separate thread. Since more and more aircraft are being finished with the new paints.
During WW II the military flattened their paint using talculm powder or cornstarch which was readily available. I have used both methods and am contemplating which way to go on the O-58A we are about to paint.
Back in 1999 and 2000 when I painted the J-4E (L-4E) I was suspicious of the new chemical additives that had not been out very long so we used the corn starch provided by AirTech.
A couple of years later when I painted the Cessna O-1 we used one of the new chemical additives.
Here are some of my observations after using the two methods.
The corn starch powder provided by AirTech was easy to use and measure but care had to be taken to keep it mixed while shooting. Also it is not possible to achieve a full flat finish without running the risk of the white powder being visible in the final finish after curing if too much is used. The corn starch achieves a true and very realistic flat finish when done properly.
The chemical flat additive is also easy to measure and use but the same care must be taken to achieve full blending before spraying and constant attention to keeping the mixture mixed while spraying. The finish that resulted when we used the chemical flattener was more of a satin finish and not flat. While acceptable on a metal aircraft in my opinion it may not look as good on a fabric structure. The finish resembles a Vietnam era aircraft or chopper wiped down with a mixture of fuel and hydraulic fluid.
Below are some photos of the O-1 we shot with a chemical additive vs the corn starch on the L-4E.
During WW II the military flattened their paint using talculm powder or cornstarch which was readily available. I have used both methods and am contemplating which way to go on the O-58A we are about to paint.
Back in 1999 and 2000 when I painted the J-4E (L-4E) I was suspicious of the new chemical additives that had not been out very long so we used the corn starch provided by AirTech.
A couple of years later when I painted the Cessna O-1 we used one of the new chemical additives.
Here are some of my observations after using the two methods.
The corn starch powder provided by AirTech was easy to use and measure but care had to be taken to keep it mixed while shooting. Also it is not possible to achieve a full flat finish without running the risk of the white powder being visible in the final finish after curing if too much is used. The corn starch achieves a true and very realistic flat finish when done properly.
The chemical flat additive is also easy to measure and use but the same care must be taken to achieve full blending before spraying and constant attention to keeping the mixture mixed while spraying. The finish that resulted when we used the chemical flattener was more of a satin finish and not flat. While acceptable on a metal aircraft in my opinion it may not look as good on a fabric structure. The finish resembles a Vietnam era aircraft or chopper wiped down with a mixture of fuel and hydraulic fluid.
Below are some photos of the O-1 we shot with a chemical additive vs the corn starch on the L-4E.
